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The Fear Amid Fire and Weapons That Leaves Scars on Forestry Workers After an Attack
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May will be remembered as a nightmare day for workers at an estate in the commune of Los Sauces, La Araucanía Region.
A violent arson attack, carried out by three armed, hooded individuals, not only destroyed between 6 and 8 pieces of equipment but also left a deep psychological mark on those who lived through that hell—especially due to the fear of losing their lives, as the workers were constantly being aimed at with high-powered firearms.
"We thought it was a drill"
One of the affected workers recounts, still shaken, how just after 6:00 p.m., while calibrating wood alongside his supervisor, he headed to the dining car to meet with the Maintenance leader.
"We saw a truck speed past the dining car, and seconds later, an armed, hooded man appeared, shouting that he was police. I thought it was a drill… but soon we realized it was a real robbery. They took our phones while we carefully tried to hide a communication radio. That radio would be our only connection with authorities or company management once the criminals left," he said.
Soon, more criminals arrived with high-caliber weapons. They threatened the site supervisor and forced him to order the other workers via radio to send the operators out to the road. Suspicion grew among everyone: something wasn’t right. "Someone said over the radio that the supervisor was likely being held hostage, and that enraged the hooded men. That was the moment I feared most for my life," he recalls. The criminals forced the supervisor to drive, took him to different machines, and—before his helpless eyes—set them ablaze with accelerants, one after another.
"Everyone on the ground"
Another worker remembers in detail the minutes of terror they endured. "While we were gathered, we heard a vehicle approaching fast. A truck stopped outside, and within seconds, a hooded man dressed in black, wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying a long gun, burst in. Pointing his weapon at us, he forced us to the ground. They asked how many people were there, how many machines… they threatened us the whole time. When they identified the supervisor, they took him out while another hooded man kept aiming at us," he recalled.
The orders were clear: hand over phones, wallets, keys. "They told us that if we cooperated, nothing would happen to us. They put everything in a container and left it outside. Then they forcefully locked the dining car door. Through a small window, we began to see lights, hear noises… the machines were burning. We feared the worst: that they would burn us alive inside the car. But soon we realized they were painting messages outside. That gave us a small relief," he stated.
Finally, they made them leave, walk backward toward the hill for 40 minutes, all while pointing their guns at them. They promised they could retrieve their belongings, but when they turned around, they saw the criminals fleeing, leaving behind machinery, trucks, and personal belongings in flames.
The missing coworker
When they finally managed to activate the emergency signal with the hidden radio and contact the estate guards, they took roll. One worker was missing. "He had fled into the fields, running several kilometers, thinking the hooded men were chasing him. He was desperate, fearing for his life," they said. Eventually, he was found safe and sound by guards who arrived after receiving the emergency alert.
Although none of the workers were physically injured, they all agree on one thing: the emotional damage is profound. What burned that night among the tires and machinery wasn’t just equipment—it was trust, peace of mind, and the sense of security. It was an attack that left invisible scars, forever marked on those who lived through it.
